News Brief

7/27/2009, Av 6, 5769

Netanyahu, Barak Warn US Defense Secretary about Iran

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak both warned visiting United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates Monday that Israel takes the threat posed by Iran's nuclear program very seriously. Barak expressed support for attempting to deal with the issue through diplomacy, but urged the U.S. to set a deadline for talks, something American leaders have so far declined to do.

Netanyahu's aides described the prime minister's meeting with Gates as “highly positive.” Gates told Netanyahu that Israel and the U.S. “see eye-to-eye” on Iran, and assured him that American attempts through diplomacy to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb would be limited.